Heart of Fear Raid - Updated Preview
The Heart of Fear/Mantid Raid got a couple of updates in the latest beta patches, it's definitely been getting some attention and the final version of the instance will probably be very impressive.

Disclaimer - As usual, this is WORK IN PROGRESS. The video and screenshots do not reflect the final version of the instance.

Battle.net Mobile Alerts
A new security feature appeared on Battle.net tonight, called Mobile Alerts! You can be sure an official announcement is forthcoming but the FAQ is already live. The service is free and does not work with prepaid phones or VoIP numbers.

Originally Posted by Blizzard
(Blue Tracker)

What is the Battle.net Mobile Alerts service?
Battle.net Mobile Alerts is a free optional service that will help you manage your Battle.net account using any text-enabled cell phone with a data plan. By linking a cell phone to your account, you will receive updates and notifications about important security changes to your account. As a Mobile Alerts user, you may also use texted security codes to help prevent unauthorized changes to your account.

How do Battle.net Mobile Alerts help me stay informed about changes to my account?
The Battle.net Mobile Alerts service will generate and send informational text messages to your linked cell phone every time suspicious activity is detected or if important changes — such as password resets or authenticator removals — are made on your account.

What can I do with Mobile Alerts?
Mobile Alerts will allow you to:

Unlock your Battle.net account using your mobile phone.

Remove an unwanted authenticator from your account.

Recover your account name.

Reset your password.

When will I receive texts from Mobile Alerts?
You can disable certain Mobile Alerts texts without removing the service entirely. You'll always receive texts for the following:

Your account is flagged for suspicious login activity.

Your password is changed.

Security features are added to your account.

Security features are removed from your account.

What are security codes?
The Battle.net Mobile Alerts service will alert you of any changes to your account’s security settings. When a change is started, the service will generate and send a unique security code to your linked cell phone via text message. This code will be required to complete the changes.

Where do I enter the security codes?
When you make certain security settings changes on your account, an additional step will ask for your Mobile Alerts security code. Enter the code when prompted in order to proceed with the change as normal.

Can I link my phone to more than one Battle.net Account for Battle.net Mobile Alerts?
No, you may only link one Battle.net account to a single mobile number for Battle.net Mobile Alerts. You will receive notifications and generated security codes at that number for the linked account.

How much does the Battle.net Mobile Alerts service cost to use?
The Battle.net Mobile Alerts service is completely free. Your phone carrier's standard rates for received text messages apply.

How do I set up Battle.net Mobile Alerts for my phone?
First, log into your Battle.net Account Management page. Navigate to Security Options and click Mobile Alerts and Verification. You will then be walked through the setup process.

Eligibility and LimitationsWhat devices are eligible for Battle.net Mobile Alerts?
Any cell phone in a supported country with a data plan can be used as a Battle.net Mobile Alerts device.

Does the service support advanced messaging systems such as iMessage (iOS) or WhatsApp (iOS, Android)?
The Battle.net Mobile Alerts service is designed to work with a text-enabled cell phone. Advanced messaging systems are not supported

Why do I need to have a data plan to use Battle.net Mobile Alerts?
The Battle.net Mobile Alerts service uses text messages to deliver important information and security codes. In order to work with Mobile Alerts, your cell phone must be able to receive text messages. If you are unsure if you have a text or data plan, contact your phone provider.

What if the country that provides my cell phone service isn’t an option?
The Battle.net Mobile Alerts service is not currently available in all countries. If your phone is registered to a country that is not currently supported, please check back later. The service is expanding and more countries will be added soon.

TroubleshootingHow do I change my Mobile Alerts phone number?
To use Mobile Alerts with a different phone, you will need to remove the currently attached phone from your account and then attach your new number. You can do this from your Battle.net Account Management page.

What happens if I lose my phone?
If you lose the cell phone you've associated with your Battle.net account for Mobile Alerts, please contact us so that we can assist you.

What if I don't receive the SMS verification code due to technical issues?
If you are unable to receive the SMS verification code, please contact us so we can assist you. You may also wish to contact your phone provider to be sure your mobile phone is capable of receiving text messages.

Is there a way to remotely lock the account through Mobile Alerts in case of suspicious activity?
No. If you'd like to secure your account, you may wish to add an authenticator.

How is the Battle.net Mobile Alerts service different from the Battle.net Mobile Authenticator?
Mobile Alerts will provide you with informational messaging regarding the security of your account, while the Battle.net Authenticator is designed to act as a barrier between a would-be compromiser and your account.

Can I use the same mobile device for Battle.net Mobile Alerts and the Battle.net Mobile Authenticator?
Yes, both services can be used on the same mobile device simultaneously

Blue Posts

Originally Posted by Blizzard Entertainment

Orcs and Humans vs Other RacesWhat's your opinion on this? Metzen stated in his interview that only orcs and humans matter, so why do we even have the other races? Aesthetics?
You didn't just quote him out of context. You changed the meaning of what he said altogether:

Chris Metzen: "...the pillars of the franchise are orcs and humans; it really is the Alliance and Horde by extension, and it really is those two groups beating the brains out of each other for an extended period of time. That’s always gotta be what Warcraft is about..."

He's saying that the franchise began with orcs and humans. Those two races are the pillars upon which the Alliance and Horde were built. But the story has progressed and evolved so much since Warcraft: Orcs and Humans. Just because the faction rivalry has its foundations in a war between two races doesn't mean we think no other races matter.

I'm not saying his statements shouldn't be up for discussion. But I beg you not to start the discussion based on a false pretense.

Why, exactly would I want to follow a king who is not only thousands of years younger, but who you claim was deliberately written to be [a jerk].
This, again, can be drawn back to my reason for responding to this thread. You don't have the exact quote, but you're claiming we said Varian was written to be an [expletive deleted]. I don't know what quote you're referring to because, well, neither do you it seems. But I think I know where the general phrase you picked up on came from.

Chris said in interviews during the Mists of Pandaria press tour that Varian was written with several character flaws, and we expected him to have likability issues. The whole point was to create a character who was a little rough around the edges. It makes for a more interesting story when you see a flawed individual rise up to the challenges of being a truly great leader, which is what we have in store for Varian this expansion. So it was important for us to give him a bit of dimension in terms of personality.

Now, sure, I'm paraphrasing what Chris said as well. The difference here though is I sat in with him on multiple interviews where he relayed this sentiment. So my paraphrasing is more accurate than yours.

If what he was saying has been taken "out of context" then why are you making such efforts to ensure humans and orcs are always the "guys in charge" or superior to everyone else?
We're not going out of our way to ensure they're always the ones in charge. But that's been the natural progression since the Horde were founded more or less under absolute rule by the most powerful chief of the most powerful orc clan.

And even the High King idea (which frankly shatters what many feel is the thematic of an Alliance) seems to support this idea.
Similar to what I said about the Horde above, the Alliance formed an allegiance around human kingdoms. If you're suggesting they're thematically better served by a republic or democracy, Azeroth lore says otherwise. (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)

Quest Rewards: Spec-Specific LootSome trinkets do silly things like summon a medic or get your character drunk or shoot a rainbow. While not that great for every clsss in combat, having these toys to have fun with is always a nice option. That staff will last two hours, but the trinket is priceless.
If there is a fun trinket, we will make sure it is available to everyone as a choice for precisely this reason. (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)

Theramore Must Not Be Destroyed
Oh, things will happen in Mists. Count on it.

That's what we're afraid of. It has been the Alliance's experience that things happening is never a good thing.
Yea, I'm just kinda done empathizing with this uber-skeptical, "we've been burned before" type of response to anything regarding faction content and story. The cynicism and sense of despair coming from Alliance players whenever story progression is discussed in any capacity is starting to come off a little forced. It's definitely not very useful.

I couldn't help but consider player perception when choosing which spectral mount to go with as my avatar. I went with the gryphon because I didn't want to waste time reading any posts about why I chose the Horde mount. But then I thought about the potential of seeing people complain that I only chose the gryphon as an empty gesture to the Alliance. I feel like there's a metaphor in there somewhere, hah. (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)

MMO-ReportThe MMO Report is back with information about SWTOR Patch 1.2, World of Darkness, and a special announcement.

The whole idea of Horde favortism in the game is beyond ridiculous, and the amount that some people get worked up about that perception is even crazier. I don't blame blues at all for posting something sarcastic about it.

All I hear is complaining from the Alliance about favoritism, however blue side will get to actually invade the Horde's main city in MoP, yet I don't hear the red side complain about that. The level of whining has gotten so ridiculous that I actually think blues and Blizzard need to start snapping back. Everyone gets the same content, why on earth does the lore have to be balanced? It makes for a pretty boring story if it doesn't ebb and flow.

Well - here is a clue, almost every house in the planet looks the same - they all have insides and outsides, and many have rooms and beds and cooking places.

You see what you want to see, if what you want to see is rehashed content - then that is what you see.

I saw something new and fantastic - awesome and can't wait for it.

That's a terrible analogy, video games are played for escapism and enjoyment. If you always end up playing the same game, you get bored. Hence why the game is jettisoning subscribers. Saying it's like a house or a car.. well just behave please.

With no disrespect to the people who are defending the preview of the inside of this raid, getting all upset and angry that people think it looks like ICC is just a bit pathetic really. Without a doubt some of the new zones look a hell of alot like The Crimson Halls in ICC no matter what way you spin it. Getting all whiney and telling people to "go back and play starwars" just because they think Blizzards design isn't good just makes you look somebody defending their right to pay a subscription to a jaded game.

If you like it, post that you like it! If you dont you have the right to post your opinion too. Just arguing about it like a bunch of children is pointless.

With no disrespect to the people who are defending the preview of the inside of this raid, getting all upset and angry that people think it looks like ICC is just a bit pathetic really. Without a doubt some of the new zones look a hell of alot like The Crimson Halls in ICC no matter what way you spin it. Getting all whiney and telling people to "go back and play starwars" just because they think Blizzards design isn't good just makes you look somebody defending their right to pay a subscription to a jaded game.

If you like it, post that you like it! If you dont you have the right to post your opinion too. Just arguing about it like a bunch of children is pointless.

They are unable to post that they like it because they hate it as well, they just take it out on anyone that dares say it.

Look at BWL compared to Molten Core, look at BT compared to TK or SSC, look at Sunwell compared to Hyjal/BT. Blizzard has lost their way, I don't doubt that they still have plenty of creativity but it's quite obvious that whoever is ruling the roost has an iron fist. I don't really think WoW is in any danger of dying simply because the fan base is too massive, they'll continue to pay for a lesser product just because they have been for years and/or refuse to look elsewhere. Its not an opinion if the quality of content that Blizzard is pumping out is taking a dive. Along with Blizzard trying to remove everything that's "not fun" such as having to travel to dungeons etc the game has gone from an MMORPG to just something to do.

I think Steve Jobs explanation of why Businesses go downhill applies well to WoW. “The company does a great job, innovates and becomes a monopoly or close to it in some field, and then the quality of the product becomes less important. The company starts valuing the great salesman, because they’re the ones who can move the needle on revenues.” So salesmen are put in charge, and product engineers and designers feel demoted: Their efforts are no longer at the white-hot center of the company’s daily life. They “turn off.”

Honestly, you know what it looks like to me? AQ. Is there any lore-connection between Mantid and Sithilid?

Also, to the people saying it looks like crimson halls... you're really scraping to find something to bitch about. Architecture is different, colors are different, decor is different... Yes, it is a giant hall with vaulted ceilings that will be populated with mobs. A citadel, a temple, a bastion... made of ice, blackness, twilight or otherwise will always look like a giant hall with vaulted ceilings, stairs, and a boss on a stage.
-- Funny story, they did something VERY different with Tot4W, and everybody HATED THE SHIT OUT OF IT. They also made an entire zone underwater and got similar complaints. So you get giant halls with vaulted ceilings and the occasional outdoor area that's not actually outdoors (MH, DS)

When we get siege of Org, people are going to say that it's too much like Sunwell because it will be several buildings in a city that you go in and out of to get to the bosses. It will also be mostly linear. Mark my words.

All I hear is complaining from the Alliance about favoritism, however blue side will get to actually invade the Horde's main city in MoP, yet I don't hear the red side complain about that.

Considering that Horde is participating in the same raid with the same goal, why would they complain? Horde didn't complain about the Battle for Undercity, either, and with good reason. Both sides are winners, yay!

Get back to us when the Horde is actually *losing*, the way the Alliance has been.

---------- Post added 2012-04-13 at 09:49 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Benson80

They are unable to post that they like it because they hate it as well, they just take it out on anyone that dares say it.

Look at BWL compared to Molten Core, look at BT compared to TK or SSC, look at Sunwell compared to Hyjal/BT. Blizzard has lost their way

I am trying super hard to parse this statement, but it doesn't make any sense.

Are you trying to say these raids got better? Worse? Look better? I just don't follow you.

I can't exactly blame the blues, though. So many people on the forums do nothing but talk shit about them, the game, and the company all day every day. If we want the blues to not be assholes, then we shouldn't be assholes. Unfortunately, "Don't be a dick" is probably impossible for a lot of the playerbase.

Bluntly, if you do not have an infinite tolerance for angst then you do not belong in any kind of public relations position. If you find yourself descending into aggression, find yourself patronising people, find yourself exuding self-pity, find yourself dismissing concerns as a whole (rather than the poorly expressed versions of some people), or find yourself creating straw-men to fight against then you should resign or be removed since you will inevitably start to do damage thereby becoming the antithesis of your intended role. If you’re making public posts of such a nature whilst performing an alternative role, such as creative development, then public relations should simply be given the power to stop you since you lack their expertise thus should defer to them.

Personally, I speak to public relations staff with as much decorum and respect as is possible but the simple fact of the matter is that the job invariably entails negative emotions. Moreover, maintaining a polite register is far, far less difficult for posts on a forum as you’re entirely capable of carefully considering the composition of posts prior to submission or not replying at all. Consequently, I have very little sympathy in this context as it should be possible to maintain detachment or control over your phraseology due to the medium.

With regard to the story, the writing has simply taken a turn for the worse in WoW and they have ignored a plethora of constructive, polite criticism whilst replying publically to poorly phrased criticism instead. I don’t know whether that’s intentional on their part to trivialise complaints thereby generating sympathy for the staff or is simply incompetence/confirmation bias but both are inexcusable. There are innumerable posts that make excellent, properly composed points about how illogical and contrived the story direction has become in many areas. For a start, Children of Wrath has some incredibly good, well substantiated points on this matter regarding Thrall that have previously been made on the forums by others and certainly have been made subsequently.

In response to genuine concerns, Blizzard figures have publically missed the point or created straw-men. When Metzen responds to concerns about the restoration of Thrall and removal of Garrosh with comments about the outrage over the original change then there’s a problem because numerous affecting factors have to be taken into account yet he failed to do that (e.g. Thrall wasn’t as much of a Mary Sue/Green Jesus then, nobody had gotten to known Garrosh, it assumes major overlap of the demographics that rejected the original change and those that reject this change, etc). What does it tell you when somebody is incapable of basic logic? It wasn’t Thrall’s neutrality that was the problem so returning him to Warchief won’t undo the mistake, Thrall is the problem and Varian is set to follow the same path.

We see similar tactics in the blue forum responses. For instance, one question deals with the plausibility of Varian being accepted by far older races yet is answered with references to the composition of the pre-WoW Alliance (or seems to) and creates an utter straw-man by presuming that the question is arguing in favour of democracy. It is patently obvious that the only alternative isn’t ‘democracy’ when you have other Alliance leaders with incredible ferocity or wisdom in their past lore that can be emphasised again. It really is supremely ironic when Blizzard tell others not to use ‘false pretences’ when they consistently do the same.

Personally, I love the rest of the game but the story has used innumerable cringe-worthy clichés lately so I think Blizzard dismiss concerns at their own risk. If it ultimately turns out that the Alliance work with the Horde to take back Orgrimmar or that the invasion is a cheap gimmick to give the illusion of blanace, Thrall’s future fatherhood makes him see the ‘value of peace for future generations,’ Varian soaks up all of the lore development for the Alliance by giving a few rousing speeches to groups of sword-waving NPCs, Thrall isn’t still loathed by Varian, Jaina’s intellect and power remain glossed over after Theramore, Tyrande remains a complete weakling, the night elves continue to be inexplicably powerless, the Draenei/Blood Elves continue to be mysteriously quiet, the Forsaken don’t attract more attention for their extreme belligerence, etc then they will have no excuses when people say ‘told you so’ over the soap opera writing. All of this is said by a Horde player so the ridiculous generalisation and ad hominem attacks of Zarhym about Alliance players being ‘cynical’ don’t apply, both faction and general writing have been appalling in their lack of depth when contrasted with previous Warcraft lore.

Above all, there are countless examples of conflicts in reality that can be drawn upon to give interesting leadership development, to create a believable grass-roots resistance, to plausibly explain dwindling power, to explain an overextension that led to a turn-around in the conflict, to show the effects of economic collapse due to excessive focus on warmongering, etc so I sincerely hope they manage to utilise those to generate an immersive storyline.

Anyone who wonders why some might follow a king who is headstrong and thousands of years younger is obviously neither Japanese nor British nor Swedish nor etc...

Ask a Brit why they haven't put the royal's heads on pikes over London bridge yet? Or at least... served them with an eviction notice and maid service bill.

The concept of royalty as something important rather than to be ridiculed is deeply ingrained in some cultures. And it won't matter how bad your royals are - they are -YOUR- royals. We Americans wrap ourselves in our flag, the Brits wrap themselves up in the royals. The greatest fear the Japanese had during WWII, was not getting wiped out to the last man woman and child - but that they would lose their royal family. And despite both of these nations now having royals that just show up at parades and give a royal-wave to the crowds - they are still in place and still a very core part of their self-identity.

Now I'm just guessing the comment was about elves - but it fits for any immortal race too.

If you think of elves as beings that live for eons - they're probably pretty thick in the head and stuck in their ways. The average elf would make your great-granny seem like a raving techie-liberal-lunatic. These people probably don't do well with change. So if somebody comes along and is a complete dolt, but has the right bloodline - that's the king. And they won't have no ifs ands or buts about it.

It'd be a lot like when US forces showed up on the great plains, went to the tribes and said 'take us to your leader', and mah boyz took em to a pack of old grandma's. The Americans came back with 'no, your leaders, not a pack of useless old women. Bring us your leaders,' so we looked around and noticed their guns and thought... oh, they mean our war conucil... yeah, where's gramps at?

The elves are likely to show up anywhere and be completely blind to the ability to see leaders that are not royals of the 'ancient bloodline' - no matter who you put in front of them, they'll just look back at you with 'ok stupid, we said leader' until you show up with a guy who's got a crown and a pedigree.

Again, you could make the same or similar comment about most of the immortal races. And for any culture stuck in its own ways - its going to presume others act the same. Stormwind's king may be there in large part because elves and dwarves have no idea how to speak to a leader who is not a king. The draenei probably look at anybody missing tentacles and think 'freak', then proceed to lord over them with 'priestly advice from the prophet' while claiming to follow. And the humans of the various nations all look for monarchs in their cultures. The gnomes... here I realize I don't even know enough about them to say anything...

Ask a Brit why they haven't put the royal's heads on pikes over London bridge yet? Or at least... served them with an eviction notice and maid service bill.

Simple, 'cause the Royals bring cash to the country in the form of tourists. But nobody cares about them anyway, aside from spending too much cash on weddings, banquets, they are benign, but once they would get too political involved and try to police the people they'd be abolished sooner as you can say poop, same goes for virtually any remaining monarchy in the western world.

The mentality of todays world is projected to the game. What might once have worked wouldn't work today anymore, and people don't seem to realize a game is a game. Today a King is something you earn cash with by printing t-shirts and postcards then sell them to tourists, nothing more nothing less. I know there's still dictatorship in form of royalty around this planet tho.

I sincerely doubt the Night Elves would have any kind of deference to a royal figure, especially if its human, based upon their lore. I think they learned their mistakes concerning nobility due to The Sundering, Azshara, and the Highborne. Naturally, it would fit the Blood Elves given their heritage but not the Night Elves. In the case of both, human bloodlines wouldn't matter in the slightest, I imagine the Blood Elves would laugh at the notion.

Also, I did make a pretty lengthy post about how Zarhym was guilty of using a complete straw-man argument in this area but it has failed to appear for some reason, I presume because it’s in some kind of moderation queue. *None the less, it is profoundly ironic that Zarhym asks people not to initiate discussions on ‘false pretences’ then either intentionally or idiotically misrepresents the position of some questions. For instance, the references to pre-WoW Alliance structuring in relation to the 'older races' question (at least I think that’s what is being referred to) are irrelevant and the question never implies that ‘democracy’ is the only alternative or even suggests that they desire democracy. If a race has a leadership figure that has been powerful, ferocious, loyal, intelligent, etc in past lore then why isn’t greater collaboration as equals considered? The present path simply risks Varian and Humans absorbing all of the lore, I’d prefer it if at least Tyrande and the Night Elves received the same level of development as Sylvannas and the Forsaken. Equally, further Blood Elf, Draenei, and Worgen development is long overdue.

As to the royalty and Britain, I'm British and I most assuredly do not wish to retain them but that's another discussion.

Anyone who wonders why some might follow a king who is headstrong and thousands of years younger is obviously neither Japanese nor British nor Swedish nor etc...

Ask a Brit why they haven't put the royal's heads on pikes over London bridge yet? Or at least... served them with an eviction notice and maid service bill.

The concept of royalty as something important rather than to be ridiculed is deeply ingrained in some cultures. And it won't matter how bad your royals are - they are -YOUR- royals. We Americans wrap ourselves in our flag, the Brits wrap themselves up in the royals. The greatest fear the Japanese had during WWII, was not getting wiped out to the last man woman and child - but that they would lose their royal family. And despite both of these nations now having royals that just show up at parades and give a royal-wave to the crowds - they are still in place and still a very core part of their self-identity.

Now I'm just guessing the comment was about elves - but it fits for any immortal race too.

If you think of elves as beings that live for eons - they're probably pretty thick in the head and stuck in their ways. The average elf would make your great-granny seem like a raving techie-liberal-lunatic. These people probably don't do well with change. So if somebody comes along and is a complete dolt, but has the right bloodline - that's the king. And they won't have no ifs ands or buts about it.

It'd be a lot like when US forces showed up on the great plains, went to the tribes and said 'take us to your leader', and mah boyz took em to a pack of old grandma's. The Americans came back with 'no, your leaders, not a pack of useless old women. Bring us your leaders,' so we looked around and noticed their guns and thought... oh, they mean our war conucil... yeah, where's gramps at?

The elves are likely to show up anywhere and be completely blind to the ability to see leaders that are not royals of the 'ancient bloodline' - no matter who you put in front of them, they'll just look back at you with 'ok stupid, we said leader' until you show up with a guy who's got a crown and a pedigree.

Again, you could make the same or similar comment about most of the immortal races. And for any culture stuck in its own ways - its going to presume others act the same. Stormwind's king may be there in large part because elves and dwarves have no idea how to speak to a leader who is not a king. The draenei probably look at anybody missing tentacles and think 'freak', then proceed to lord over them with 'priestly advice from the prophet' while claiming to follow. And the humans of the various nations all look for monarchs in their cultures. The gnomes... here I realize I don't even know enough about them to say anything...